NAPS WELCOMES 8 SPECIAL CONSTABLES AND BORDER CONTROL TO SERVICE

(Thunder Bay, ON) – The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service welcomed eight new special constables to its ranks Friday.

The eight new members were welcomed to the service during a ceremony at the NAPS General Headquarters in Thunder Bay on Friday, July 31. This ceremony also ushered in a new unique border control service NAPS introduced to help further maintain community safety.

Special constables are sworn civilian peace officers with targeted police powers limited to specific duties. At NAPS, special constables are routinely assigned to prisoner transport, court security and court services.

The special constable border control program is a new pilot project involving three First Nation communities. These unique special constables aid the communities they work in to provide enhanced community safety and security.

“NAPS is the largest Indigenous police service in North America,” said NAPS Police Chief Terry Armstrong. “We are proud to welcome these new special constables, who will help and support our frontlines.”

“The special constable border patrol program is a great step toward offering our communities greater community safety and security. We are also thrilled to have border control special constables who live in the communities they’ll be working in.”

The new special constables joining NAPS, and their assigned regions or communities, include:

• Sean Hrabok – Central Court Office
• Domenic Romeo – Central Court Office
• Tess Serino – Central Court Office
• Cody Barkman – Border Control, Sachigo Lake First Nation
• Ari Wantoro – Northwest Court Office
• Trudy Mekanak – Border Control, Kasabonika Lake First Nation
• Wabun Sutherland – Border Control, Kashechewan First Nation
• Trisha Linklater – Northeast Court Office

“I am so very proud to witness these new special constables receive their badges today,” said NAPS Court Services A/Staff Sgt. Carlie Drewes, who oversaw the Special Constable training program. “It is a difficult seven-week program, and it was incredibly rewarding to see them persevere through it. They excelled throughout their training and I’m anticipating nothing but success as they begin their new careers.”